CHAPTER ONE
 
Frankie sat on the floor in her parents' bedroom and watched as Mama finished packing the small suitcase she used when traveling for work. When Mama put her special press badge for journalists around her neck, Frankie knew she'd be leaving for the airport soon.
   "I'm sorry I have to go," Mama said. "You know I hate to miss out on family card games. But whenever there's BREAKING NEWS, it's my job to cover the story."
   "Like the breaking news you had to cover during the presidential election?" Frankie asked.
   "Exactly," Mama said. "Breaking news is about something that's happening in the moment. It's information that people need to know right away."
   Frankie sighed. Mama was the best and toughest journalist in the world, so of course Frankie was proud. She just wished breaking news would take a nap so that Mama could finish a game of Crazy Eights for once.
   "We'll miss you, but we understand." Papa placed his hand on Mama's shoulder. "JOURNALISM is important work. We're not the only people who need you."
   Frankie smiled. Papa always reminded them that Mama's job helped hundreds (and sometimes even thousands) of people get the information they needed.
   "Because everyone needs to know the news, right?" Frankie's older sister, Raven, started twisting her curls. Frankie watched her closely. Whenever Raven played with her hair, she was usually worried.
   Frankie tried to lift her sister's spirits. "Yes, Mama, we'll miss you. But we know that the world of journalism needs you. So we'll stop playing Crazy Eights right now, and we won't play again until you're back home."
   "Well, that's awfully nice of you." Mama playfully pinched Frankie's cheek. "I know how much you love that game. I promise I'll be home in a few days."
   Just as they always did before Mama left to report on something important, everyone gathered for a group hug. Papa, Raven, and Frankie all sang out,
 "Mama's leaving so
   we're singing the
   blues. 'Cause
   Mama's got to go
   report breaking
   news!"
          "Mama's got
 to go! This much
 is true. And while
 I'm away, I'll be
 thinking of you!"
   Mama sang back and gave everyone a kiss.
   As Mama finished packing, Papa and Raven left to do the things that papas and big sisters had to do. Maybe Papa would cook a delicious spaghetti dinner to make them feel better. Frankie loved slurping up noodles covered in his special pasta sauce.
   Raven was probably going to call and text all her friends. Then they'd record silly videos together.
   But Frankie wasn't leaving. She wanted to stay with Mama until the last second.
   "Are you sure I can't come with you?" Frankie eyed Mama's suitcase as she sat on the floor. If she folded her arms and legs just right, Frankie was certain she could fit.
   Mama zipped up her suitcase and put on her serious journalist glasses. She sat down on the floor across from Frankie and leaned in slowly until their foreheads touched and their eyes crossed. Frankie started giggling.
   "I wish you could join me, Frankie," Mama said. "Do you remember what HARD NEWS is?"
   One day, Frankie would be an award-winning journalist too, so she always listened closely when Mama talked about work. Frankie pulled out the special journalist notepad she always kept in her
back pocket and flipped to her notes. She couldn't wait to show Mama how serious she was about journalism.
   "Yes!" Frankie replied. "Hard news is when something very serious is happening. Something that is so serious, only adults need to know about it."
   "You've got it!" Mama smiled. "I'm so proud of you! And this assignment is hard news. So unfortunately, you can't come with me. We'll have to wait for another breaking news story, maybe something that's happening here in town. Something that's the perfect story for kids to know about too."
   Sometimes Frankie went with Mama to the local news station, which was a lot of fun. Once she even got to sit behind the fancy news desk! Frankie had looked right into the television cameras and pretended to go live as she gave a news report, just like Mama.
   "I can't wait until I grow up and I'm a famous journalist too." Frankie twisted her forehead against Mama's as they made silly faces. "Then I can come with you whenever you report on breaking news and hard news."
   Mama smiled. "Me either! We'll report on all the news together."
   "Can we report on human-interest stories too?" Frankie loved learning about ordinary people doing amazing things. Her favorite was the boy who found a stranger's wallet. Instead of taking the money and buying bags of candy, he took it to the police station. That boy got to wear a real police badge for a whole day.
   Frankie was really impressed that he did the right thing. He didn't even ask for
a reward! If Frankie had been there, she would have told him to ask for free ice cream for a year.
   "Absolutely!" Mama said. "In fact, we'll be our own human-interest story: the best mother-daughter journalism team ever."
   "I can't wait!" Frankie said excitedly. "We can call it The Mama Franklynn and Frankie News Show!"
   Mama laughed and gave Frankie a big hug.
   "Until then, be on the lookout for developing stories at home. News is happening all around us all the time. Do you have the special press badge we made together?"
   The last time Mama went overseas to cover a hard news story, she helped Frankie make a press badge so she could officially report on stories that happened in their community.
   "Of course, Mama." Frankie tapped the Citizens' Press badge she often wore around her neck. "If there's any news that happens while you're away, I'll make sure to report on it."
   "Perfect! Thank you for covering for me," Mama said. "Now, this is Franklynn McKnight, signing off to head to the airport to cover breaking news in another city."
   Frankie smiled proudly. "And this is Frankie McKnight, signing off to cover news stories right here at home while Mama . . . uh, Franklynn McKnight is away." She pulled out her notepad and wrote Breaking News at Home, then underlined each word carefully. Frankie couldn't wait to find something to report on.

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Excerpted from Frankie and Friends: Breaking News by Christine Platt
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.